Duncan Schematics rant, is it possible to get a DEFINATE answer on this? (SSH)

[Xeromus]

So I wired up my strat with two ssl-1's and a hot rails in the bridge exactly how it's shown on the duncan schematic. However I get hum in all positions except 4 (neck and middle combo). What's the deal? This isn't the first time a duncan schematic hasn't worked for me.

Also, for SSH with duncans, with either rails or buckers: DOES THE RWRP GO IN THE NECK OR THE MIDDLE? I always get two different answers here, other forums, and even when I call seymour duncan company. This matters because if I need to switch them that means I have to buy new pickups because the leads on the rwrp are not long enough to put it in the neck now.

Any help would be appreciated.

[ratherdashing]

For your second question, I do know that Fender singles have the opposite polarity as Duncan singles (ie. Fender's RWRP will be the same as Duncan's standard). If you're using Duncan singles with a bucker, the RWRP should be in the middle. With Fender singles, you'll either have to wire the bucker backwards, or swap the middle and neck pups. Most Fender Strats with a bucker in the bridge actually use a bridge single in the middle, and middle single in the neck.

This may be the source of some of the confusion.

[Xeromus]

Gotcha, but I'm using two duncan singles and a duncan bucker. So with all Duncans, where does the rwrp go?

[krankguitarist]

RWRP should go in the middle.

[Xeromus]

why am I still getting hum then?

[Farkus]

why am I still getting hum then?

When you mix the neck (regular wind) and middle (rwrp) you get no hum. This is correct.

When you mix the RWRP middle and HRb, you should get hum unless the appropriate coil of the HRb is switched off.

The only thing that I can't figure is why you have hum in the bridge position, or am I misreading the post? This is the only place that you might have a problem. If the HR is hum-cancelling in bridge, all is working as it should. As such, I'd suggest a coil tap for the HRb if you must have hum cancelling in position 2.

Hope this helps.

[Zerberus]

To cancel hum with a split bridge bucker as well as in position 4, the middle pickup and neck pickups need to be swapped around so the RW/RP is at the neck. I´ve never ever seen it work with the RW/RP in the middle.

THis is assuming Duncan PUs all around.

[Farkus]

To cancel hum with a split bridge bucker as well as in position 4, the middle pickup and neck pickups need to be swapped around so the RW/RP is at the neck. I´ve never ever seen it work with the RW/RP in the middle.

THis is assuming Duncan PUs all around.

Yeah I think you're right, which is why I was saying that he should split one of the HR coils when using the pup's in the proper config (neck pup in neck, etc)...not sure which of the bridge coils would have to stay active though.

[Xeromus]

I have it wired so the bridge bucker isn't split in the notch position.

[Fresh_Start]

To cancel hum with a split bridge bucker as well as in position 4, the middle pickup and neck pickups need to be swapped around so the RW/RP is at the neck. I´ve never ever seen it work with the RW/RP in the middle.

THis is assuming Duncan PUs all around.

Word!

I've confirmed this with my own guitars and talked with Scott Miller @ S-D last week to be sure that what I wrote in this thread was correct.

Don't know why you would have hum with a humbucker in the bridge, unless it's a grounding issue.

Not to be a jerk, but have you tested every path to ground with a multi-meter? Every solder joint for that matter? Sometimes a connection looks ok but doesn't conduct well.

BTW with the full bridge pickup in parallel with the middle coil (notch position), you only get partial humcancelling 'coz you've got 3 coils active.

Chip

[Kommerzbassist]

I have it wired so the bridge bucker isn't split in the notch position.

Then you should get hum, cause you have (for example) two top going north and one top coming south coil... so, 2 cancel each other and one tg north is humming... this is just an example though and I'm not sure if it's top coming/going north/south, but it works like that so I think you should get it...

Wire it up like that and it should be fine
http://www.seymourduncan.com/support...ne_-w-spl.html

[ratherdashing]

I have it wired so the bridge bucker isn't split in the notch position.

Ah, there's your problem. Think of the coils as being positive and negative, with a standard single being positive, and a RWRP being negative. In a humbucker, you have one of each. To get hum cancelling, the sum of all coils in the circuit has to equal zero.

[ratherdashing]

To cancel hum with a split bridge bucker as well as in position 4, the middle pickup and neck pickups need to be swapped around so the RW/RP is at the neck. I´ve never ever seen it work with the RW/RP in the middle.

THis is assuming Duncan PUs all around.

Interesting ... I was told this was only the case with Fender singles. I thought Duncans were polarized and wound to accomodate a humbucker in the bridge. Or do I have it backwards?

[Zerberus]

Yes and No, Fender has used both directions and polarities over the years.. so we´re actually both right and talking out our ass at the same time

But I can´t say for sure the way the "modern" Fender singles are, I always managed to sell people a whole set of duncans somehow

[ErikH]

Modern day Fender pickups are wound opposite of Duncans. They've changed directions a few times in their history so there's probably a time when they were the same but for today's pickups, at least since the 90's, they're opposite.

Now, for the issue at hand. With 3 Duncans in a H-S-S config, to get hum cancelling in position 2, the bridge humbucker needs to be split in position 2 AND the right coil needs to be shut off so that the one that is opposite the middle pickup is active. This will make it all quiet in position 2. Leaving it in full humbucker mode in position 2 will leave the hum intact, just as ratherdashing has said, and he said it best.

Artie may have the wiring scheme for splitting a bridge humbucker in position 2 to cancel the hum if that is what you want to do. Otherwise, you'll have the hum no matter if RWRP is in the neck or middle because of the sum not equalling zero (as ratherdashing put it).

[Zerberus]

.....
Artie may have the wiring scheme for splitting a bridge humbucker in position 2 to cancel the hum if that is what you want to do. ....

Or use this one off the Duncan site
http://www.seymourduncan.com/support...ne_-w-spl.html

BTW Xero: you can extend the leads with a bit of wire without issues

[ErikH]

Or use this one off the Duncan site
http://www.seymourduncan.com/support...ne_-w-spl.html

Or that one, yes. I've heard that it doesn't always work right though.

[Zerberus]

Or that one, yes. I've heard that it doesn't always work right though.

I didn´t want to say it right away, but now you know why this thread was started

[ErikH]

I didn´t want to say it right away, but now you know why this thread was started

Well, besides this thread. I'm on meds, man. Gimme a break.

Apparently with that scheme, putting the red/white together on the switch like that deactivates the wrong coil. That's what I've heard and that's why I mentioned Artie. He's not splitting the bucker at all in the notch position so it doesn't matter but if he was and the middle is RWRP, then the bridge wiring has to be done differently. Can't remember the color matchup though.

[ArtieToo]

I think its important to remember that hum-cancelling is one part science, and one part voodoo. A perfectly balanced humbucker, in a shielded guitar, with everything done right - can still hum in the right environment.

Artie